Zac Stacy Relives The 2013 NFL Scouting Combine

Go behind-the-scenes with Zac Stacy to learn all about the emerging star's experience at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine.

Zac Stacy hasn’t been one to make light of the significance of his showing at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine. A productive senior out of Vanderbilt University, Stacy was buoyed by a strong showing in Indianapolis a year ago, leading to his selection as a fifth-round draft pick by the Rams.

“It’s a great experience and a great opportunity for guys to showcase their skills and boost their draft stock a little bit,” Stacy said. “The weird thing about it is it’s one of those things where you’re a little in a loop, in terms of not knowing what to expect. It definitely helped my draft stock when I participated last year. I know guys will be excited about it.”

With coaches and scouting representatives on hand from all 32 teams, there is arguably no better opportunity for NFL prospects to make a lasting impression prior to the draft in May. The 2014 Combine, which begins Thursday and will run through Sunday, will showcase 300 collegiate players throughout the week.

This year’s Combine could be particularly impactful for the Rams, who hold both the second and 13th overall draft choices in May, and have myriad options available to them when scouting this year’s class, on each side of the ball. For a team that has relied heavily on youthful talent over the past two years, ranking as the league’s youngest team in each season, the pair of high picks could serve to supplement what has already shown to be a quality stable of young talent. In each of the past two years, strong showings in the Combine played key roles in the Rams draft choices.

The Rams’ eventual draft picks from 2013 included a few upper-echelon Combine showings, including Stacy and first-round draft pick Tavon Austin, who vaulted his stock to a top-10 prospect following his week in Indianapolis.

Leading up to the Combine, and in the weeks following, pre-draft speculation will reach a fever pitch for prospective NFL rookies, as players will be named in a bevy of mock drafts and make team visits throughout March and April. A year removed from his own experience in this process, Stacy emphasized eliminating as much outside hype as possible.

“Coming into the draft, the pre-draft situations, the things you can’t control are the rankings and all the other stuff. The only thing you can control is taking advantage of the Combine and putting on a show there. Every team has different needs, but from my experience, you just need to be a guy that can be put in the right system. Control what you can control.”